George l



(No Model.)

G. L. WITSIL.

BUTTON HOOK.

- N0. 277,181. Patented MdyB, 1883..

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC GEORGE L. WITSIL, on CAMDEN, ASSIGNOR T ABRAM J. DELP, on

WOODBURY, NEW JERSEY.

BUTTON-HOOK.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 277,181, dated May 8, 1883.

Application filed September 23, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern 1 Be it known that I, GEORGE L. WITSIL, of Camden, in the county of Camden and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Button-Hooks; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,

' clear, and exact description thereof, reference belng had to the accompanying drawings,and

to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form partof this specification, in which-'- Figure 1 is a view of a gaiter boot, showing the button-hook applied for bnttoning theflap. Fig. 2 is a top view of the button-fastener.

The object of this invention is to improve button-hooks which are especially adapted for buttoning the flaps of shoes, and also for buttoning gloves; and the nature of myinvention consists in so curving the wire of a hooked button-fastener that the buttons can be adjusted into the button-holes without either injuring the button attachments or the buttonholes, as will 'be fully understood from the following description, when taken in connec- -tion with the annexed drawings.

It is well known that simple curved books have been used for buttoning gloves and shoetlaps, and it is also well known that several attempts have been made to improve sai'd hook, allot which I disclaim as my invention.

The letter O designates the straight shank of the button-hook, which is provided with a suitable handle. This shank has formed on it a curved hooking portion, A, set at an obtuse angle to the shank, an are, a, which is at right angles to the shank, a curve, I), which is opposite to the booking portion A, and an S shaped hook, c D, which is directed toward the handle. All of these curves are necessary to effect the object above named.

To use my improved button-fastener I conimence bypassing the hooked end of the shank through the button-hole, keeping the hook directed toward the toe of the boot. The huttoner will naturally adjust itself toward the curve A, the point will protrude through the button-hole, and by a simple turn of the instrument the button will'be inserted through the button-hole. I do not necessarily introduce the hook bodily through the button-hole. I may leave a protruding portion, which will serve as a guard for preventing the tearing of the ends of the button-hole. I also utilize the sides of the button-holes as purchases for enabling-me to draw the button-head through the'same.

-V Having described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- An improved button-hook, consisting of the straight shank U, the curved portion A, formed at an obtuse angle to the shank, the are formed at a right angle to the shank, the curve b, and the S-shaped hook c D, directed toward the handle of the instrument, all constructed and adapted to operate substantially in the man ner and for the purposes described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own- I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

- GEO; L. WITSIL.

Witnesses g 1 g D. SoMERs RISLEY, SALLIE RIs EY. 

